2025 Poka Yoke Contest Award Winners!
One hundred seventy-eight poka yokes were submitted in the past year and our winners are…
Five years ago, we introduced the term poka yoke and challenged employees to look for, report and offer solutions to potential hazards within their division – then, putting the Safety improvement and risk reduction effort (the poka yoke) into action by implementing the solution. Now, many of our divisions are regularly completing poka yokes and making this risk reduction effort an important part of their everyday processes.
In the past year (November 9 to November 7) one hundred seventy-eight (178) poka yokes were submitted! During that time, McCullough Industries submitted 28 poka yokes to win (for the second year in a row) Most Poka Yokes Completed – Congratulations, McCullough!
With so many incredible entries, it was difficult to narrow down the submissions. After careful consideration in the two judging categories, innovation and impact, our winners are:
2025 MOST IMPACTFUL POKA YOKES
- FIRST PLACE: Olympic Steel – Bettendorf, IA
Dan Parmentier, Crane Operator
James Jamison, Maintenance Technician
- SECOND PLACE: Olympic Steel – Schaumburg, IL
Chuck LaTour, Operations Manager
- Honorable Mention: Olympic Steel – Buford, GA
Colton Hobbs, Manufacturing Engineer
Jason Robinson, Plant Engineering Manager
- Honorable Mention: Olympic Steel – Mount Sterling, KY
Rich Dubulis, Operations Manager
Robert Thomas, Maintenance Manager
Mike Manley, Maintenance Technician
Gerald Bishop, Maintenance Technician
2025 MOST INNOVATIVE POKA YOKES
- FIRST PLACE (tie): Integrity Stainless – Streetsboro, OH
Anthony Pitts, Machine Operator
Robbie Hamlin, Machine Operator
Josh Leas, Maintenance Supervisor
Randy DiBacco, Maintenance Technician
- FIRST PLACE (tie): Olympic Steel – Schaumburg, IL
Pallet Building Area Update and Reorganization
John Golly, Maintenance Technician
- Honorable Mention: Integrity Stainless – Streetsboro, OH
Chris Shrum, Material Handler
Randy DiBacco, Maintenance Technician
- Honorable Mention: Olympic Steel – Gary, IN
Robert Ashley, Maintenance Manager
Thanks to All Participants
Identifying poka yokes gives everyone a chance to create smart, safe solutions to identified risks. Thank you to everyone who shared their safety improvement and risk reduction ideas this year – your efforts are helping others put Safety First. Always.
Questions?
For questions about poka yokes or how to implement process improvement ideas, please reach out to your local Safety Representative or William Schuster, Regional Safety, Health and Environment Manager, at Bill.Schuster@olysteel.com.
Safety First. Always. And, it starts with me.
